Tyla wins big at the Grammys

by Limpho Nonkonyane

South African singer and songwriter Tyla Seethal, popularly known as Tyla, won her first Grammy for Best African Music Performance for her popular song Water. 

The 22-year-old hitmaker was nominated alongside ASAKE & Olamide, Burna Boy, Davido featuring Musa Keys and Ayra Starr. The hit single peaked last month at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

When she accepted the award on stage, Tyla said, “This is crazy. I never thought I’d say I won a Grammy at 22 years old,” adding, “If you don’t know me, my name is Tyla. I’m from South Africa. Last year, God decided to change my whole life. So thank you so much to God, and thank you to my team and my family. I know my mother is crying somewhere in here. Thank you to the recording academy for this category. It’s so important. I know I’m forgetting some things but I won a Grammy.”

Tyla’s journey to stardom started when she signed with the US label Epic Records in 2021. Since then, she has taken the industry by storm with one of her biggest achievements being on tour with singer Chris Brown on his Under the Influence tour. When asked about how she feels about her rapid success in a previous interview with TshisaLIVE, she admitted that it made her feel overwhelmed at how fast she was able to grow in an international space, adding that she hoped that her success could help introduce the African music genre to a global audience.

Tyla told the publication, “It feels crazy. I don’t know if I am there yet, but getting international attention early on is something I never expected. I was willing to work for years to get to this point and to think it happened from just one song I feel so blessed to have this opportunity. When people listen to my music, with its pop style, I hope it becomes a more internationally recognised sound and they start falling in love with it.”

The singer posted herself on Instagram holding her Grammy.

 

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A post shared by Tyla (@tyla)

X users congratulated the singer on her biggest achievement, saying, “It’s a really big deal, congratulations Tyla.”

Also see: Tyla set to perform at Coachella 2024